tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-80815812923107791932016-09-07T21:31:08.630-07:00Karen's alpacasSnippets of my days as an alpaca breeder...Karen Oglesby - Meon Valley Alpacashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16567054421157398971noreply@blogger.comBlogger214125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8081581292310779193.post-26623591427189165162015-03-29T03:47:00.000-07:002015-03-29T03:47:15.759-07:00BRITISH ALPACA FUTURITY 2015Well what a show! Many thanks and congratulations to the organisers - they came up trumps with this one. It was a real showcase for the British Alpaca Industry. &nbsp;Huge congratulations to Houghton Hall who swept the board and to everyone else on their success. And a big thank you to our superb Judges Peter Kennedy (AUS) and Wade Geese (USA) who's oral reasoning and Judging style and efficiency made us feel so fairly and thoroughly Judged on the most significant traits. I just loved those leather trousers - I wonder where he got them!<br /><br />It was great to meet so many visitors from overseas, and what could be more fun than being immersed in all things alpaca for a whole weekend with like-minded folk. (Well for the alpaca obsessed anyway!)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>We had a brilliant show - I'm still so thrilled with my little team. We took 9 and 8 of them were placed. First in the ring with Wade was our Sorcerer female Mystique who won her class and then went on to win Champion Grey Female, she was also Champion at the BAS Nationals a couple of weeks earlier so a double for her and a fantastic start to our show. Next in Peters ring our black boy Roll the Dice by Snowmass Roll of Honor - very pleasing 3rd. &nbsp;Then our other Sorcerer entry Meon Valley Athos, a brown junior who came first in his class of 12 - great comments and we were chuffed to bits.<br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qIH9tgxO3vo/VRfVT2EX4uI/AAAAAAAACcE/6uCfOnfvZQU/s1600/IMG_8281.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qIH9tgxO3vo/VRfVT2EX4uI/AAAAAAAACcE/6uCfOnfvZQU/s1600/IMG_8281.jpeg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rebecca with Mystique</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Tg7Kuzol0rc/VRfVUkJrZPI/AAAAAAAACbw/pxRMaeTvvss/s1600/IMG_8294.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Tg7Kuzol0rc/VRfVUkJrZPI/AAAAAAAACbw/pxRMaeTvvss/s1600/IMG_8294.jpeg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brown Junior Males - Athos not standing still for a second!</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-a6K2uTZblIE/VRfVUDu3SEI/AAAAAAAACbg/aa2hTgVTQmY/s1600/IMG_8289.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-a6K2uTZblIE/VRfVUDu3SEI/AAAAAAAACbg/aa2hTgVTQmY/s1600/IMG_8289.jpeg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Black Junior Males</td></tr></tbody></table>We had decided to not to enter The Sorcerer this time and take more juniors instead, &nbsp;at the last minute I wished I had entered him, but it was too late. However we still had my favourite cria from last year Greyjoy, to take into the grey male classes. Now I have always loved this chap from the moment he was born - from our grey girl Strawberry Shortcake, by our fawn Snowmass male Puna Sky. He was a bit strange looking for the first few days with his huge bendy legs, but he very quickly straightened up and I just loved his personality. His fleece didn't really start to get me excited until he was about 5 months old and then I just couldn't stop peeking at it, on an almost daily basis!! &nbsp;He was 3rd at the Nationals - nice comments but just not flashy enough for that show, but Peter Kennedy just loved him and his praise on his fleece attributes was music to my ears. He put us in first and then he gave us Champion - wow you should have heard me inside - YES!!<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rE5N7WJ0UP0/VRfVV5ODvLI/AAAAAAAACb0/DwtacL5-esA/s1600/IMG_8308.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rE5N7WJ0UP0/VRfVV5ODvLI/AAAAAAAACb0/DwtacL5-esA/s1600/IMG_8308.jpeg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Double trouble</td></tr></tbody></table>Balereon was 5th in the same brown class as Athos, Baratheon 5th in the fawns, Joffrey 4th in the lights, and Charisma 6th in the whites. Very pleasing results. Only little Arianne didn't get placed - but never mind she has her 2nd rosette from the Nationals.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lnKnveAGqA0/VRfVVe5o4gI/AAAAAAAACbs/Y2hVjRJhBog/s1600/IMG_8296.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lnKnveAGqA0/VRfVVe5o4gI/AAAAAAAACbs/Y2hVjRJhBog/s1600/IMG_8296.jpeg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Greyjoy being swamped by fleece explorers - it needs a good rest now!</td></tr></tbody></table>So next show for us is the South of England - I hope it's a bit more Spring like by then, can't wait!<br /><br /><br />Karen Oglesby - Meon Valley Alpacashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16567054421157398971noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8081581292310779193.post-75318829392198954042015-01-27T03:23:00.000-08:002015-01-27T03:23:02.446-08:00SO WHERE WERE WE?Nothing much to report here, just winter routine of feeding, haying and cleaning out the shelters. The fields are looking a bit tired now, not much grass left and far too many mole hills - the mole man is coming out later today. It always amazes me how much soil a little mole can move in one night - little B's. Our flock of Redwings have visited us numerous times since Christmas, they're early this year, the elder bushes have begun to come into leaf and the snowdrops are out - Spring is truly on its way.<div><br /></div><div>I've been halter training our 17 weanlings, 10 of them are now walking quite nicely, some better than others, and it's time to make a start on the rest. &nbsp;They don't need long, just a few minutes at a time once a day, or maybe twice if I get the chance and it's dry, and after a few sessions or so they're done. &nbsp;I spend more time cuddling them actually. I should be out there now training a couple, but I have the house to myself and I'm enjoying a second cup of coffee with a chocolate biscuit or two and no-one here to make me feel guilty - don't tell!</div><div><br /></div><div>Our stable cat Marmalade has been in the wars, he must have been hit by a car, poor chap has had to have his tail amputated and he's on cage rest in our kitchen, getting thoroughly spoiled and used to central heating - he's definitely going to need his fleece filled box to sleep in when he goes out again. I've told him he's got to pay his way now and catch a few moles to make up for the Vets bill!</div><div><br /></div><div>Anyway I must go and work off those biscuits so I'll leave you with a few pics...</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aRPhRMfLaTg/VMdypBlkC0I/AAAAAAAACZs/ElGgsT6LqLQ/s1600/IMG_7768_2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aRPhRMfLaTg/VMdypBlkC0I/AAAAAAAACZs/ElGgsT6LqLQ/s1600/IMG_7768_2.jpeg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roll the Dice - loves to walk</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xAUt6kQXpnw/VMdyqBeJJbI/AAAAAAAACZ8/aO89KBOV4os/s1600/IMG_7842.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xAUt6kQXpnw/VMdyqBeJJbI/AAAAAAAACZ8/aO89KBOV4os/s1600/IMG_7842.jpeg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The River Meon looking 'moody'</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qLl18KzRbOM/VMdysPnCSPI/AAAAAAAACaU/3SdhQdjBtvU/s1600/P1060958.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qLl18KzRbOM/VMdysPnCSPI/AAAAAAAACaU/3SdhQdjBtvU/s1600/P1060958.jpeg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ygrette</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rUKVEcGVEFs/VMdyvp0MXlI/AAAAAAAACag/XYYUFjaHkEU/s1600/P1060971.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rUKVEcGVEFs/VMdyvp0MXlI/AAAAAAAACag/XYYUFjaHkEU/s1600/P1060971.jpeg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Greyjoy - one of my favorites</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4TUQ_2s0e20/VMdyvt1jPnI/AAAAAAAACac/_Q3UfkBaecU/s1600/P1060977.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4TUQ_2s0e20/VMdyvt1jPnI/AAAAAAAACac/_Q3UfkBaecU/s1600/P1060977.jpeg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Athos with Rebecca - one of her favourites and a rare moment when he's standing still!</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5NO5IDucvmk/VMdyylVA5-I/AAAAAAAACas/KIjoXxjqB4k/s1600/P1060966.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5NO5IDucvmk/VMdyylVA5-I/AAAAAAAACas/KIjoXxjqB4k/s1600/P1060966.jpeg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Balereon - one of the best walkers</td></tr></tbody></table><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ch_JR0fYwYM/VMdykZtG8XI/AAAAAAAACZk/vx-qVIugptU/s1600/P1070056.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ch_JR0fYwYM/VMdykZtG8XI/AAAAAAAACZk/vx-qVIugptU/s1600/P1070056.jpeg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rebecca helping me with the cuddling sessions&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wTy6rkZtOBg/VMdype_OwTI/AAAAAAAACZw/NReiGwj1qwM/s1600/IMG_7732.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wTy6rkZtOBg/VMdype_OwTI/AAAAAAAACZw/NReiGwj1qwM/s1600/IMG_7732.jpeg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The girls one frosty morning</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ces9uvIalXo/VMdypw1n-nI/AAAAAAAACZ4/dVlbaR9ut5c/s1600/IMG_7796.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ces9uvIalXo/VMdypw1n-nI/AAAAAAAACZ4/dVlbaR9ut5c/s1600/IMG_7796.jpeg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Halter training makes more sense to them if you walk towards some ladies!</td></tr></tbody></table></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iDxM_jyLpkw/VMdvJcCoooI/AAAAAAAACY0/D7IAe0wrFY0/s1600/P1060940.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iDxM_jyLpkw/VMdvJcCoooI/AAAAAAAACY0/D7IAe0wrFY0/s1600/P1060940.jpeg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Barriston</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s5ccY8tOCwk/VMdvKr5euhI/AAAAAAAACY8/FwLrkTx6mkQ/s1600/P1060997.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s5ccY8tOCwk/VMdvKr5euhI/AAAAAAAACY8/FwLrkTx6mkQ/s1600/P1060997.jpeg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tilly</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kqEaJC1u7E8/VMdwbYxabRI/AAAAAAAACZY/iofLd2KgA58/s1600/P1070077.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kqEaJC1u7E8/VMdwbYxabRI/AAAAAAAACZY/iofLd2KgA58/s1600/P1070077.jpeg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Daario<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br /><br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div>Karen Oglesby - Meon Valley Alpacashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16567054421157398971noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8081581292310779193.post-34134293749693914342014-11-14T10:30:00.001-08:002014-11-14T10:30:05.687-08:00A RARE GLIMPSE OF THE SUNI took the camera out with me on my rounds this afternoon - I love this stage of Autumn when the trees have just a sprinkling of colour left on their branches revealing the views normally hidden from sight.<br /><br />They were almost dry and the sun lasted just long enough to get some nice pics ... enjoy.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YRtUYleitIE/VGZEGBeKPgI/AAAAAAAACXs/h-Oq0eIlqY0/s1600/P1060706.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YRtUYleitIE/VGZEGBeKPgI/AAAAAAAACXs/h-Oq0eIlqY0/s1600/P1060706.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baratheon</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_qNXOHXmKUg/VGZEjsDLC1I/AAAAAAAACX0/VTKAapjnM4Y/s1600/P1060701.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_qNXOHXmKUg/VGZEjsDLC1I/AAAAAAAACX0/VTKAapjnM4Y/s1600/P1060701.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ygrette</td></tr></tbody></table><br />I'm keeping a couple of crias in with their mums for a few days, they both have a bit of 'Trench Foot' - where the skin between their toes gets sore and scabby from being constantly wet. Even on dry days the long grass stays wet. A few days in the dry, LA antibiotic and terramycin spray usually sorts them out quite quickly.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-y9x916finbc/VGZEt3pe4II/AAAAAAAACX8/wgZDv9OTazA/s1600/P1060736.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-y9x916finbc/VGZEt3pe4II/AAAAAAAACX8/wgZDv9OTazA/s1600/P1060736.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baratheon</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_b-KtrYMveI/VGZEzvHv4iI/AAAAAAAACYE/Yt_SU8DHb74/s1600/P1060712.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_b-KtrYMveI/VGZEzvHv4iI/AAAAAAAACYE/Yt_SU8DHb74/s1600/P1060712.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dice</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oJlhkQxaGZo/VGZF66DFL2I/AAAAAAAACYQ/2g4luGXWPP0/s1600/P1060710.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oJlhkQxaGZo/VGZF66DFL2I/AAAAAAAACYQ/2g4luGXWPP0/s1600/P1060710.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dice and Baleron in the background</td></tr></tbody></table>Jobs for the weekend - toenails and spit offs. I have been gradually working through one group doing their nails on my own, I just tie them up and most of them cooperate - I leave the more fidgety ones for when I have help. We use Bonami for spit-offs he doesn't care what they do but just keeps pursuing - perfect but he's incredibly strong! &nbsp;I hope we'll have around 20 crias next season. Some of our girls have gone to their new homes in Belgium, so we won't have as many crias next year as I originally planned, but I'm sure we'll have enough! I can't wait - only 6 months to go...<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--6cKD8XnxJM/VGZF_Gs9P-I/AAAAAAAACYY/Dg4S8c1RFKE/s1600/P1060748.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--6cKD8XnxJM/VGZF_Gs9P-I/AAAAAAAACYY/Dg4S8c1RFKE/s1600/P1060748.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mystique and Baratheon - he loves the camera!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZeepwPDaGA8/VGZGSEJpPLI/AAAAAAAACYg/0hThLaE0EkA/s1600/P1060757.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZeepwPDaGA8/VGZGSEJpPLI/AAAAAAAACYg/0hThLaE0EkA/s1600/P1060757.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bliss and Baleron</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Karen Oglesby - Meon Valley Alpacashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16567054421157398971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8081581292310779193.post-73115458963607405112014-09-20T03:29:00.000-07:002014-09-20T03:29:30.008-07:00AUTUMN JOBS DONE AND AN EXPORT TO BELGIUMIt's a good felling when we've given everyone on the farm a manicure and their Autumn wormer. &nbsp;The crias had their first AD&amp;E injection this morning and the mated females another spit off, we can now rest on our laurels with the husbandry other than feeding them and our usual regular condition scoring. The weather has been amazing lately, so warm with heavy dews, so the grass has been growing like mad - perfect for our resting fields which Peter harrowed hard to spread any poo left behind and get rid of the dead thatch. I even let him top a couple of the fields there was so much grass - he was as happy as .... he loves to cut grass!<br /><br />Our export to Belgium was completed this week as six of our females left with Els &amp; Gunther from Alpaca Tumulus. Marah has already been sold and is now settling with her new owners - the others will stay at Alpaca Tumulus where Els &amp; Gunther will promote and sell them on our behalf. It seems a bit strange without them here, but I know they are in good hands.<br /><br />And just so you know - little Munchie now weights 14.2 kg!<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UxRiZQhVh08/VB1UzmKn6dI/AAAAAAAACXc/2yO4oLsd6tk/s1600/IMG_7170.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UxRiZQhVh08/VB1UzmKn6dI/AAAAAAAACXc/2yO4oLsd6tk/s1600/IMG_7170.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ready to go on the morning of Export</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sdcIZtuRSo8/VB1Uc_Z5vSI/AAAAAAAACXE/qsV7IkYOFXs/s1600/IMG_7190.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sdcIZtuRSo8/VB1Uc_Z5vSI/AAAAAAAACXE/qsV7IkYOFXs/s1600/IMG_7190.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Loaded up ready for their long journey</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cZUotFFsquU/VB1Uxhl8qnI/AAAAAAAACXU/157m2ieFjXk/s1600/IMG_7195.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cZUotFFsquU/VB1Uxhl8qnI/AAAAAAAACXU/157m2ieFjXk/s1600/IMG_7195.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Add caption</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FX1IRFJ2RF4/VB1Uv0icNPI/AAAAAAAACXM/py-3q12e42I/s1600/foto%2B1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FX1IRFJ2RF4/VB1Uv0icNPI/AAAAAAAACXM/py-3q12e42I/s1600/foto%2B1.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The next morning in their paddock in Belgium</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />Karen Oglesby - Meon Valley Alpacashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16567054421157398971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8081581292310779193.post-5396060529859283022014-08-25T09:11:00.001-07:002014-08-25T09:11:40.837-07:00SOME EXCITING NEWSIt's been some time since my last confession... seriously it always feels weird writing a blog, because it's a bit like a diary and I know there's a chance someone might read it - what to put in, what to leave out? I have no excuse other than I just haven't got round to blogging lately what with one thing and another, I haven't had the time.<br /><br />So a very quick catch up because I know you really just want the pictures, and actually I must get on with my Romsey Show Entries before they close and there's no room for my lot!<br /><br />So births done and matings by the end of July. Final tally 18 crias - 9 boys and 9 girls, so can't complain at that and we have some very cute ones and a quite a few that I'm really excited about. Our new Snowmass fawns have done us proud, as has The Sorcerer and already I'm looking forward to next years crias! &nbsp;Munchie, our special needs cria, is doing really rather well and has gained weight little by little to reach the heady heights of 12.2 kilos! <br /><br />At the beginning of August Rebecca and I bathed in the sun and sea of Halkidiki for 10 days, which I have to say was just wonderful. &nbsp;It's amazing how quickly one adjusts to a new routine - walk, breakfast, sunshine, swim, lunch, sunshine, swim, ice cream, cocktail, sunset, dinner, walk, swim!!! I do miss those sunsets. We made some lovely new friends and actually we're off to Paris for another little jaunt soon to visit them.<br /><br />Back home and suddenly we have lots of enquiries which is great, and some sales, even better. &nbsp;Summer only lasted a few more days and it now seems to be Autumn and even though its a bit chilly the forecast was dry for the next few days, so we had a few of the crias sheared - they look so cute.<br /><br />Next was the Open Day, yesterday in fact, always a very busy time getting ready for it, but as always it was well worth the effort just to see everyone enjoy the animals and their afternoon amongst them. I have no idea how many people came, but I'm guessing around 450 judging by the cars in the field and the amount of cake and tea consumed!! Thank heavens for our volunteers, it was a bit manic at times, especially when Aglaia got her head stuck through the stock wire - amazingly she just stood there with visitors stroking her head and her cria looking on in amusement!<br /><br />Now for the exciting news - our friends in Belgium, alpaca breeders Els &amp; Gunther Willems of Alpaca Tumulus are going to be joining forces with us and so I've been busy getting organised with the paperwork ready for them to take their first consignment of Meon Valley females to place on their farm for sale, quite a big step and a great opportunity for both of us.<br /><br />So, now to those pictures :)<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-L655YlXMV6w/U_tc8xBmI6I/AAAAAAAACWM/X1-4J2mVYMA/s1600/P1040775.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-L655YlXMV6w/U_tc8xBmI6I/AAAAAAAACWM/X1-4J2mVYMA/s1600/P1040775.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Greyjoy - this chap just reminds me of one of my big dutch warmblood foals that I bought - just loose!&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lvtEmgiyygg/U_tcxEOpW7I/AAAAAAAACWE/S_VdlSz17Rs/s1600/P1040826.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lvtEmgiyygg/U_tcxEOpW7I/AAAAAAAACWE/S_VdlSz17Rs/s1600/P1040826.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mystique</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CI6sGyUNpQ0/U_tcgkCKEVI/AAAAAAAACV8/8fDmenVBKlY/s1600/P1060059.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CI6sGyUNpQ0/U_tcgkCKEVI/AAAAAAAACV8/8fDmenVBKlY/s1600/P1060059.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roll the Dice - now what can he be thinking?</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FmqYs9t4CdM/U_tdU0HjSiI/AAAAAAAACWc/meploj8URkg/s1600/P1060065.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FmqYs9t4CdM/U_tdU0HjSiI/AAAAAAAACWc/meploj8URkg/s1600/P1060065.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Arianne</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xsNZ04ZaoIc/U_tdSfuUuqI/AAAAAAAACWU/Qe-9zsNALGs/s1600/P1060089.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xsNZ04ZaoIc/U_tdSfuUuqI/AAAAAAAACWU/Qe-9zsNALGs/s1600/P1060089.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Athos</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CxUvhSesdN0/U_tdav4fiQI/AAAAAAAACWk/i4Y8ZfLxXGY/s1600/P1060091.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CxUvhSesdN0/U_tdav4fiQI/AAAAAAAACWk/i4Y8ZfLxXGY/s1600/P1060091.JPG" height="221" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And one for every colour group...</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><br /><br />Karen Oglesby - Meon Valley Alpacashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16567054421157398971noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8081581292310779193.post-82076342808829018782014-07-08T06:02:00.003-07:002014-07-08T06:02:44.844-07:00OUR PREMATURE CRIASo our little premie girl is doing OK. We haven't named her officially, just in case - but she's affectionally known as Munchkin or Munchie ... and she's a real character. She no longer wants a bottle and is even beginning to put on a little weight. But the best bit is that she is playing with the other crias now. Each time we go out to her paddock she runs up to great us and then happily follows us to her mum for a suckle, she's very crafty and as Calico only stands for a limited time for her to feed, she tops herself up tvia the backdoor - that's a bit hazardous at times as you can imagine, often done whilst Calico at the poo pile!<br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PPV3JBpcspg/U7vkilWNbDI/AAAAAAAACUQ/gZABSXC8W2k/s1600/P1040105.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PPV3JBpcspg/U7vkilWNbDI/AAAAAAAACUQ/gZABSXC8W2k/s1600/P1040105.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Munchie on the run</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ixB_QuprWVk/U7vlv0CRHAI/AAAAAAAACU0/RZSLsEeZBEw/s1600/P1040261.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ixB_QuprWVk/U7vlv0CRHAI/AAAAAAAACU0/RZSLsEeZBEw/s1600/P1040261.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Come to say hello</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GbmAmRHoo7g/U7vmLsBpjoI/AAAAAAAACU8/xnGdtJnAPtQ/s1600/P1040262.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GbmAmRHoo7g/U7vmLsBpjoI/AAAAAAAACU8/xnGdtJnAPtQ/s1600/P1040262.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HUMrIdNSFZs/U7vlS1sx-bI/AAAAAAAACUo/P8W3Lb0zmQo/s1600/P1040269.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HUMrIdNSFZs/U7vlS1sx-bI/AAAAAAAACUo/P8W3Lb0zmQo/s1600/P1040269.JPG" height="366" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Come on this way to Mum ...</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2no_ACQmxc4/U7vmSwYznZI/AAAAAAAACVE/KZ2EGqtsvBQ/s1600/P1040271.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2no_ACQmxc4/U7vmSwYznZI/AAAAAAAACVE/KZ2EGqtsvBQ/s1600/P1040271.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Now theres your mum!</td></tr></tbody></table><br />&nbsp;And for some other crias ...<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-E4g2ghAqwOU/U7vmvVJBE4I/AAAAAAAACVM/B4aFJugOqTY/s1600/P1040277.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-E4g2ghAqwOU/U7vmvVJBE4I/AAAAAAAACVM/B4aFJugOqTY/s1600/P1040277.jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Andromeda with her Snowmass Roll of Honor female</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lRlUiVE350k/U7vlDqNLuLI/AAAAAAAACUY/mmIp85L7fzo/s1600/P1040041.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lRlUiVE350k/U7vlDqNLuLI/AAAAAAAACUY/mmIp85L7fzo/s1600/P1040041.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cotton Candy with Roll the Dice by Snowmass Roll of Honor&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lWjaMcX6hpE/U7vnKVsn9CI/AAAAAAAACVc/b_YTa3pI9Gk/s1600/P1040300.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lWjaMcX6hpE/U7vnKVsn9CI/AAAAAAAACVc/b_YTa3pI9Gk/s1600/P1040300.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bonita with Baratheon her Snowmass Golden Legend boy</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-beWRqM-6EKw/U7vnBUmY7xI/AAAAAAAACVU/8unAJ2YvWa0/s1600/P1040303.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-beWRqM-6EKw/U7vnBUmY7xI/AAAAAAAACVU/8unAJ2YvWa0/s1600/P1040303.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Athos from The Sorcerer - just love this little chap</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZHjKkNk0QI8/U7vnlvbXLAI/AAAAAAAACVk/ZwSlf8NS_6k/s1600/P1040306.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZHjKkNk0QI8/U7vnlvbXLAI/AAAAAAAACVk/ZwSlf8NS_6k/s1600/P1040306.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Joffrey - a Snowmass Roll of Honor</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Karen Oglesby - Meon Valley Alpacashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16567054421157398971noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8081581292310779193.post-77667743433891636342014-06-29T10:24:00.002-07:002014-06-30T03:46:16.772-07:00CRIA CATCH UPI seem to be very behind with my posting, but it's not for the lack of news, just the lack of time to sit and write it. Some of my Face Book friends will have seen all this before - so sorry if I'm repeating myself!<br /><br />I know most of you just like the pictures anyway, so I'll keep it short, we've had a couple of little problems which are mostly sorted now, and as far as the results of our breeding is concerned we are thrilled to bits so far. We've had 11 cria and 6 of them are female, with another 8 to go all due now - come on girls!<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rdQmGFhM6Gw/U7A_hYQ9z_I/AAAAAAAACSM/Ym5nBLO7kys/s1600/P1030706.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rdQmGFhM6Gw/U7A_hYQ9z_I/AAAAAAAACSM/Ym5nBLO7kys/s1600/P1030706.jpg" height="400" width="207" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Athos by The Sorcerer out of Aglaia - love him he's so chunky with a &nbsp;very promising fleece</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_5KQsbbz-eM/U7A_ljbefEI/AAAAAAAACSU/sTnqejEWm4Q/s1600/P1030715.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_5KQsbbz-eM/U7A_ljbefEI/AAAAAAAACSU/sTnqejEWm4Q/s1600/P1030715.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here he is again with his mum - her first cria and she loves him</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ou_zMRK08RM/U7BA4_1fi9I/AAAAAAAACSk/90_cv3sZgAE/s1600/P1030861.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ou_zMRK08RM/U7BA4_1fi9I/AAAAAAAACSk/90_cv3sZgAE/s1600/P1030861.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Then came our little special needs girl from Calico and Snowmass Golden Legend and whilst being just over 11.5 months gestation was very dysmature with inside out ears and membranes attached - listing to the right, too crooked and weak to stand for long enough to suckle. &nbsp;She was also unable to wee or poo on her own so had to be promoted - like a puppy. We bottle fed colostrum and gave her plasma too and gradually over the next few day she grew straighter and stronger. She follows us everywhere and is still being topped up by the bottle and is suckling from her mum too. We're calling her Munchkin at the moment!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LY5tg5Y0G30/U7BBQau3P4I/AAAAAAAACSs/U8lsjzd-Hqw/s1600/P1030886.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LY5tg5Y0G30/U7BBQau3P4I/AAAAAAAACSs/U8lsjzd-Hqw/s1600/P1030886.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Then came Bozedown Jumpers cria - Joffrey a strapping big boy,<br />&nbsp;a light fawn/beige by Snowmass Roll of Honor</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LBdexegDShA/U7BBzGFnDlI/AAAAAAAACS0/OduSDT-LwF4/s1600/P1030982.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LBdexegDShA/U7BBzGFnDlI/AAAAAAAACS0/OduSDT-LwF4/s1600/P1030982.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Agrippina and Arya</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-84jZzE7z43I/U7BAZwrawgI/AAAAAAAACSc/uHT5EmTHp2Q/s1600/P1030940.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-84jZzE7z43I/U7BAZwrawgI/AAAAAAAACSc/uHT5EmTHp2Q/s1600/P1030940.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Next we have Arya from Agrippina and Snowmass Puna Sky, gorgeous little girl <br />with ears that need taping when I get round to it!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Fz5KLuE7sWs/U7BCAgT_87I/AAAAAAAACS8/me3jc53Y5YY/s1600/P1030955.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Fz5KLuE7sWs/U7BCAgT_87I/AAAAAAAACS8/me3jc53Y5YY/s1600/P1030955.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Then Yasmina, a Snowmass Royal Vision daughter, had this stunning little female which we have called Ygrette from Snowmass Puna Sky - a really special fleece and can't wait to see how she develops</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BA5Cp90_n-Q/U7BDseDhRtI/AAAAAAAACTs/PvG53-xSRbM/s1600/P1040111.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BA5Cp90_n-Q/U7BDseDhRtI/AAAAAAAACTs/PvG53-xSRbM/s1600/P1040111.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ygrette</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_jeOtocryPM/U7BCdecjj-I/AAAAAAAACTM/Bop2fegAEGw/s1600/P1030958.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_jeOtocryPM/U7BCdecjj-I/AAAAAAAACTM/Bop2fegAEGw/s1600/P1030958.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Next a another little problem - cria Melisandra from Puna Sky perfect, but her dam Medusa a big fatty with virtually no milk. Bottle fed a litre of wonderful local cows colostrum over the first 12 hours and now bottle feeding with some difficulty as she would rather have just the little that Medusa offers - we will persevere!&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-p45duONhD0g/U7BDcIntBuI/AAAAAAAACTc/plapCcaEg9g/s1600/P1040041.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-p45duONhD0g/U7BDcIntBuI/AAAAAAAACTc/plapCcaEg9g/s1600/P1040041.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Then it was one-eyed Candy's turn - she's also a daughter of Snowmass Royal Vision out of The Sorcerer's grandmother, &nbsp;a dark grey. and we had bred her to Snowmass Roll of Honor in the hope we might get something dark - look what we got! We called him Roll the Dice.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LgHFPOXEPS8/U7BDhHXnrpI/AAAAAAAACTk/HqreCrPeVdo/s1600/P1040075.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LgHFPOXEPS8/U7BDhHXnrpI/AAAAAAAACTk/HqreCrPeVdo/s1600/P1040075.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here we have Missy with her female cria Mystique by The Sorcerer,<br />we're very pleased with her as you can imagine!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tnx6xykGIic/U7BKHgnf9XI/AAAAAAAACT8/jtL5hLlb3Co/s1600/P1040116.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tnx6xykGIic/U7BKHgnf9XI/AAAAAAAACT8/jtL5hLlb3Co/s1600/P1040116.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bliss, of bottle feeding fame of three years ago, has given us this handsome little chap. He spends a lot of his time on day one sleeping and I keep having to see if he's ok, and he's fine. His sire is Snowmass Roll of Honor and his grandsire Snowmass Royal Vision - beautiful fleece</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sO_nLPAjL70/U7BDQ5IhmHI/AAAAAAAACTU/kE3Ym7B1N8Y/s1600/P1040084.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sO_nLPAjL70/U7BDQ5IhmHI/AAAAAAAACTU/kE3Ym7B1N8Y/s1600/P1040084.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table>&nbsp;So, now you've caught up and it's time to do the bottle feeding again!<br /><br />Karen Oglesby - Meon Valley Alpacashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16567054421157398971noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8081581292310779193.post-90287901174476543732014-06-14T12:57:00.002-07:002014-06-14T12:57:26.737-07:00SURPRISE PACKAGESI like the combined smell of iodine and new born crias, just as well, as even after bathing and applying something more conventionally fragrant I'm still getting it! Anyway, it comes with the territory and of course I just love new born crias. There's the inevitable worries and moments when I think why do I do this, but generally it's hugely exciting and they are adorable. Each birth's like a huge present that you've been waiting for for almost a year, the result of careful breeding decisions and large investment. You know what's going to be in the package, but you don't know what colour, gender, or just how good it's going to be! And then there's the names ... this year vaguely following the Game of Thrones as our theme, but some just name themselves as we go along.<br /><br />So far we've had two births, the first, a week ago now from Toffee Apple who was a week short of 11 months and the second, today, a week over from Dove, and they're both just gorgeous - I will leave you with pictures.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8YQBp8aw9TY/U5ycvDBBGZI/AAAAAAAACRg/oiFXuNysvDc/s1600/P1030443.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8YQBp8aw9TY/U5ycvDBBGZI/AAAAAAAACRg/oiFXuNysvDc/s1600/P1030443.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Toffee Apple giving Tilly a kiss</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y_5_N7X3k7A/U5yeEQ_TsGI/AAAAAAAACR8/LgaoG38QwaQ/s1600/P1030490.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y_5_N7X3k7A/U5yeEQ_TsGI/AAAAAAAACR8/LgaoG38QwaQ/s1600/P1030490.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tilly</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QxQ58OThPoQ/U5ybkKwAYWI/AAAAAAAACRM/w8KSxOEeHvg/s1600/P1030466.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QxQ58OThPoQ/U5ybkKwAYWI/AAAAAAAACRM/w8KSxOEeHvg/s1600/P1030466.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dove &amp; Daario - a surprise on the colour as her last two were multi - this one from Snowmass Puna Sky</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uwKgFXv2LVs/U5ycu-es2RI/AAAAAAAACRc/EDfZL3pFD9M/s1600/P1030471.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uwKgFXv2LVs/U5ycu-es2RI/AAAAAAAACRc/EDfZL3pFD9M/s1600/P1030471.JPG" height="318" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Daario Nahalis&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-H6CWSisCQDg/U5ydj0HfpSI/AAAAAAAACR0/_BzP_EK-ues/s1600/P1030477.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-H6CWSisCQDg/U5ydj0HfpSI/AAAAAAAACR0/_BzP_EK-ues/s1600/P1030477.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br />Karen Oglesby - Meon Valley Alpacashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16567054421157398971noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8081581292310779193.post-15699725013855665602014-06-01T06:24:00.002-07:002014-06-01T06:24:52.498-07:00BUMS & TUMS, LIPS AND NOSESOK so now it starts - the pregnant girls have all been moved into the fields near the house and whilst I have been watching them gradually expand, now it gets serious. Time to get obsessed with bums and tums! A couple of them are already doing the standing staring thing, look fit to burst and generally looking a bit slack, if you know what I mean. The birthing kit is in the porch, the cria coats and towels are all washed and ready. The binoculars are on the bedroom windowsill and another pair on my desk. &nbsp;The only thing left to do is to stock up with ready meals for the freezer for those times when the family has to cater for themselves because a new cria takes priority. They'll go in the same drawer as the lovely yellow frozen cow colostrum and the bags of plasma!<br /><br />Last year I only mated the girls for a 4 week period starting on 6th July, so they're not far away now. We have one or two who are usually early, so I'm on standby for the end of this week and for the last week or two I've been making the most of going out for the day as all that will have to stop...<br /><br />The grass is growing like mad with the alternate sun and rain we're getting and the 5 acres of buttercups we sprayed off has now been topped and will be ready for grazing in a couple of weeks. With our shearing all done the pacas all look beautiful, I love to see them sheared. I've managed to dry off the fleeces on sunny days and all have been skirted now ready to send off for processing, we've kept back our special ones for our hand spinners as usual.<br /><br />So, just as soon as we get some crias they'll be up on the blog, but in the meantime here's some pics I took this morning of the due girls... I have a thing about their lips and noses!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QaJcn_CqZYs/U4sh3WafgXI/AAAAAAAACMQ/qeZCNt6zKrE/s1600/P1020655.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QaJcn_CqZYs/U4sh3WafgXI/AAAAAAAACMQ/qeZCNt6zKrE/s1600/P1020655.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Goldie</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8sQstEMSWic/U4sifeWJjMI/AAAAAAAACMg/W3IQH6YGCdQ/s1600/P1020662.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8sQstEMSWic/U4sifeWJjMI/AAAAAAAACMg/W3IQH6YGCdQ/s1600/P1020662.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dove</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LPYVWwH-M-g/U4sj6X1CGKI/AAAAAAAACM0/pLeicoTHl0c/s1600/P1020695.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LPYVWwH-M-g/U4sj6X1CGKI/AAAAAAAACM0/pLeicoTHl0c/s1600/P1020695.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sound asleep</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-e5j6_EvpvNg/U4skd5zLl4I/AAAAAAAACM8/Rp2Am7SXb5M/s1600/P1020718.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-e5j6_EvpvNg/U4skd5zLl4I/AAAAAAAACM8/Rp2Am7SXb5M/s1600/P1020718.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Medusa trying to reach a fly - but she's too fat!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oZw0nS3sgKw/U4sjo0qpJNI/AAAAAAAACMs/qosFKv6Rd_k/s1600/P1020738.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oZw0nS3sgKw/U4sjo0qpJNI/AAAAAAAACMs/qosFKv6Rd_k/s1600/P1020738.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cassandra - just a wee this time!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HxbaSKweSUc/U4skzUJQgGI/AAAAAAAACNE/Y96lwZlyI0o/s1600/P1020740.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HxbaSKweSUc/U4skzUJQgGI/AAAAAAAACNE/Y96lwZlyI0o/s1600/P1020740.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Love those lips</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0tgSNn1K96U/U4sl0xR894I/AAAAAAAACNU/0ktr0MSZU9E/s1600/P1020807.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0tgSNn1K96U/U4sl0xR894I/AAAAAAAACNU/0ktr0MSZU9E/s1600/P1020807.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Agrippina and Candy</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ySgemUmFqtA/U4smj03kgoI/AAAAAAAACNc/LZMG5Jr1fyw/s1600/P1020812.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ySgemUmFqtA/U4smj03kgoI/AAAAAAAACNc/LZMG5Jr1fyw/s1600/P1020812.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What was that rhyme -"Flies are a nuisance ... bees are worse"</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PkTEnTu_V8M/U4slrQLhVrI/AAAAAAAACNM/m28ZpRUCyCQ/s1600/P1020821.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PkTEnTu_V8M/U4slrQLhVrI/AAAAAAAACNM/m28ZpRUCyCQ/s1600/P1020821.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The blonds ...</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aMeuKFPMWu4/U4snE-s9N4I/AAAAAAAACNk/f0OkcGjtYss/s1600/P1020827.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aMeuKFPMWu4/U4snE-s9N4I/AAAAAAAACNk/f0OkcGjtYss/s1600/P1020827.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dust bathing</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W1EInE6o9T4/U4snOBiWeqI/AAAAAAAACNs/xl64sBJsJrA/s1600/P1020855.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W1EInE6o9T4/U4snOBiWeqI/AAAAAAAACNs/xl64sBJsJrA/s1600/P1020855.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Annabel and Cassandra ....</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><br />Karen Oglesby - Meon Valley Alpacashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16567054421157398971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8081581292310779193.post-45152517277640445092014-05-14T10:50:00.002-07:002014-05-14T10:50:16.201-07:00SOME PICS ..Some pics .... not much happening today, just enjoying the sunshine and the pacas.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tBWg5K2Veyk/U3OnYYZhU0I/AAAAAAAACLs/BFPh3U-XFIs/s1600/P1010812.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tBWg5K2Veyk/U3OnYYZhU0I/AAAAAAAACLs/BFPh3U-XFIs/s1600/P1010812.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My favourite tree blossom - the red horse chestnut</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vjJDlWakXCY/U3Olhna-XqI/AAAAAAAACLE/uXwcuG1OQ84/s1600/P1010757.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vjJDlWakXCY/U3Olhna-XqI/AAAAAAAACLE/uXwcuG1OQ84/s1600/P1010757.JPG" height="400" width="383" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Strawberry Shortcake and Cassandra doing pilates</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gpD2T5XvUCs/U3Ol77-2EaI/AAAAAAAACLM/-fOGDJXdpQs/s1600/P1010764.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gpD2T5XvUCs/U3Ol77-2EaI/AAAAAAAACLM/-fOGDJXdpQs/s1600/P1010764.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aglaia, Aggrippina and Medusa chillin'</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QzbJJz1ZqxQ/U3OmNiz1KPI/AAAAAAAACLU/rU4Zosdq6E0/s1600/P1010766.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QzbJJz1ZqxQ/U3OmNiz1KPI/AAAAAAAACLU/rU4Zosdq6E0/s1600/P1010766.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aglaia - saving that bit of hay for later</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LTxb71v1cuo/U3Ombz4AuPI/AAAAAAAACLc/0wObcMirZTw/s1600/P1010771.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LTxb71v1cuo/U3Ombz4AuPI/AAAAAAAACLc/0wObcMirZTw/s1600/P1010771.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Medusa - a particularly wacky haircut</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tk2-0AhjeuY/U3OnoOzRNBI/AAAAAAAACL8/CxPKgY8QxsM/s1600/P1010854.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tk2-0AhjeuY/U3OnoOzRNBI/AAAAAAAACL8/CxPKgY8QxsM/s1600/P1010854.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bettina of the funky ears</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EaMtPIDw26s/U3OnBViCydI/AAAAAAAACLk/A4uY4TlEi-I/s1600/P1010807.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EaMtPIDw26s/U3OnBViCydI/AAAAAAAACLk/A4uY4TlEi-I/s1600/P1010807.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bliss, her daughter - well she got the ears if not the colour !</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1p1xCr4orvk/U3OoJHCc1DI/AAAAAAAACME/wjPyGTplj1Y/s1600/P1010870.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1p1xCr4orvk/U3OoJHCc1DI/AAAAAAAACME/wjPyGTplj1Y/s1600/P1010870.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flowers!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Z_1U3MKfRF4/U3OniCp8VaI/AAAAAAAACL0/7XIXNMV8azI/s1600/P1010865.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Z_1U3MKfRF4/U3OniCp8VaI/AAAAAAAACL0/7XIXNMV8azI/s1600/P1010865.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dynasty - sort of dirty grey underneath the fawn, a tempting choice for The Sorcerer</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Karen Oglesby - Meon Valley Alpacashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16567054421157398971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8081581292310779193.post-62504231899839492692014-05-11T09:37:00.000-07:002014-05-11T23:48:28.421-07:00SHEARING AND VISITORSAnother week gone and thankfully we can tick shearing off the list. &nbsp;I have to say it's the first time, and hopefully the last, that we've ever sheared in the dark!<br /><br />I woke early on shearing day and decided to get up and bring some animals in whilst they were dry, the forecast was awful and the sky looked very threatening. Peter got up with me and together we brought all the boys in from the far fields and put them under cover, and shut the weanlings in the field shelter. By 7am it was chucking it down, and the 39 remaining animals were out in it getting soaked and there seemed no point in bringing them in to get all sweaty and covered in straw as well.<br /><br />Michael the shearer and his sidekick arrived around 2.30pm by which time the rain had stopped but everything was claggy and wet and there were more showers and winds on the way. We moved everything around to shear under the far archway in the dry. &nbsp;Our helpers were Lucy who works for us at weekends and her boyfriend Mark, who was a total star, never previously handled alpacas and just got stuck in, and despite getting kicked and spat, seemed to quite enjoy it! We got through all the boys and weanlings and then the field of 20 pregnant girls who were still very damp. &nbsp;Time came for Lucy, and the now rather exhausted Mark, to go home leaving us to carry on and finish the last 19 who were reasonably dry. As darkness descended Mike was shearing by lamplight, but we did it and finished at 10.30pm, 59 animals in total. I can't tell you what a dreadful state the yard was in in the morning, and I had lost track of whose fleeces I was putting in bags sometimes, &nbsp;but when it stops blowing a gale and raining I'll get them out and skirt them properly, but that can keep! &nbsp;Its a great feeling to have it all done.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LYI6QWnApwk/U2-hyg0e-RI/AAAAAAAACKw/LeDM23B8oJM/s1600/P1010732.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LYI6QWnApwk/U2-hyg0e-RI/AAAAAAAACKw/LeDM23B8oJM/s1600/P1010732.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Selene trying to take a nap and Brie being a pest</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MQ698CN70Wo/U2-hE6a8HMI/AAAAAAAACKc/JDKXkUrn8TY/s1600/P1010643.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MQ698CN70Wo/U2-hE6a8HMI/AAAAAAAACKc/JDKXkUrn8TY/s1600/P1010643.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jumper - as tired as me!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-U1nFTuqSbtE/U2-hQW0jyXI/AAAAAAAACKk/2hCThL-MmoU/s1600/P1010716.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-U1nFTuqSbtE/U2-hQW0jyXI/AAAAAAAACKk/2hCThL-MmoU/s1600/P1010716.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Streamlined girls in the buttercups&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jwhyiIZ7vUc/U2-hATqACsI/AAAAAAAACKU/NU9rcpozGdk/s1600/P1010723.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jwhyiIZ7vUc/U2-hATqACsI/AAAAAAAACKU/NU9rcpozGdk/s1600/P1010723.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Aunty Miel" 17 years young this month, she gets to keep her blanket on!</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Next day we set to and cleaned up all the mess, then welcomed visitors from Belgium and spent a glorious sunny and dry day introducing them to the herd.<br /><br />Yesterday we hosted the BAS Alpaca Evaluation Course with Nick Harrington Smith which was an excellent day, thankfully it was all classroom based as it rained on and off all day. Everyone enjoyed it and learned loads as always.<br /><br />The alpacas seem fine without their fleeces, despite the chilly wind, &nbsp;and this morning we had more visitors to look at them as prospective owners. We have noticed a big increase the the level of enquiries lately, must be the spring sunshine.<br /><br />Next week is quieter, I think, our due girls are getting to look really pregnant now and I have already started to gaze at their tums and bums for signs of impending births! And so it goes now for the next two months!Karen Oglesby - Meon Valley Alpacashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16567054421157398971noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8081581292310779193.post-6884950941895113162014-05-06T11:22:00.000-07:002014-05-07T02:45:14.541-07:00SOUTH OF ENGLANDSo, whilst I can keep my eyes open, a catch up on my weekend at the South of England Show. &nbsp;I went without Rebecca this time, she stayed at home promising to revise. &nbsp;Me and Nikki from Faraway Alpacas (or is it Nikki and I, I never know which is correct) stayed in a Hotel just down the road. When we checked in we discovered that there was a wedding reception going on. &nbsp;We fought through the crowd of suits and posh frocks in our wellies and straw covered fleeces and headed for a quiet part of the hotel for a drink and supper, we had changed and washed our hands by then! However, it wasn't quiet for long as we were invaded by a lot of very rowdy and mostly drunk wedding guests and were consequently forgotten in the rush. After much complaining to a rather harassed young bar manager, our food finally arrived, after waiting almost an hour and a half we were hungry - by then it was on the house - so we ordered puddings and coffee too! &nbsp;I got off to sleep OK but was woken at 4.30 am by a very noisy threesome, two male voices and one female, lots of laughing from her, coming from the room above me. They seemed to be having a much better time than me, but thankfully wore themselves out after an hour or so!<br /><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Zys6Xx9D8HA/U2kiFInij4I/AAAAAAAACJ8/sYvYeGdbwmc/s1600/IMG_6268.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Zys6Xx9D8HA/U2kiFInij4I/AAAAAAAACJ8/sYvYeGdbwmc/s1600/IMG_6268.jpg" height="320" width="315" /></a>Anyway I was first in the ring with my black female Enigma, in a class of one, actually we were the only black female! I thought they'd be loads of black animals with Tim Hey judging .. anyway, he praised her highly and said that she was a worthy winner of a Champion ribbon. Always seems a bit daft to me to award a Champion in a one animal category, but I'm not complaining. Thankfully our other entries had more competition. Selene also placed 1st and then took Champion brown female, I was very happy as I think she is beautiful, but then I would. Macy Grey came 2nd and The Sorcerer won his class. Then after lunch it was the fawns. The standard was high, Bonami won his class and we stood in the Championship lineup, one of them being Houghton Halls fawn intermediate who won the Supreme Champion at the Heart of England the previous week. Tim spent a long time weighing up all the traits, going back and forth mainly between Bonami and the Houghton boy - much suspense! Needless to say I was chuffed to bits when he walked towards me with the sash!</div><div><br /></div><div>Nikki went home at the end of the day, so Vicki from Spring Farm kindly invited me over to join them for a curry. Just as we got stuck in we were interrupted with an urgent call from Nikki to call home. Jazz, our English Pointer, was very ill. He sometimes gets severe colic, which has the potential to develop into a twisted gut. &nbsp;I decided to go back to the hotel and if he hadn't improved on his medication, check out and drive the 2 hours home to care for him myself.<br /><br />Back at the hotel I was greeted with a steaming flood of boiling hot water, pouring out of a cupboard in the corridor outside my room. A detour via the kitchens and a fire escape took me around the flood, which was by now creeping under my door. Phoned home to hear the dog had responded to his medication and as it was getting rather late I decided to stay and was eventually moved to another room, where I didn't sleep much because I was worrying about the dog and kept thinking I should have gone home!&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>A phone call to hubby early in the morning and was relieved to hear that Jazz was OK but rather subdued, as was Peter, who stayed up til 1.30 am with him (I told him he had to stay with him until he seemed ok) &nbsp;He doesn't really like the dogs, just not a doggy person, I have some serious making up to do I think, but I do think he might have bonded with Jazz a little!</div><div><br /></div><div>Back to the show and I had two juniors females left to go - Dynasty in lights and Bling in whites and they both came 2nd with more great comments.</div><div><br /></div><div>Then came the supremes, Houghton Hall won both, and I was pretty pleased to have 3 Champions in the line-up. &nbsp;Having got them back to the stables, I was told they were needed for Best of British, so got them back out again! There were 5 qualified altogether and Tim award it to Bonami, I was very happy, I do love Bonami. &nbsp;Another sash, plus a lovely prize of a hanging basket bracket thingy with alpacas on it.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0058Xe2op1o/U2kh05rOicI/AAAAAAAACJ0/EpeelnlT3hA/s1600/IMG_6284.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0058Xe2op1o/U2kh05rOicI/AAAAAAAACJ0/EpeelnlT3hA/s1600/IMG_6284.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div><br />We have a busy week ahead - with shearing planned on Thursday, weather permitting, visitors from overseas on Friday and the BAS Evaluation course here on Saturday.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3mUA_aFTEKo/U2kiJge4AcI/AAAAAAAACKE/Z61qAuRxEhc/s1600/IMG_6289.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3mUA_aFTEKo/U2kiJge4AcI/AAAAAAAACKE/Z61qAuRxEhc/s1600/IMG_6289.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Karen Oglesby - Meon Valley Alpacashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16567054421157398971noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8081581292310779193.post-76923636307967187052014-04-23T07:23:00.002-07:002014-04-23T07:23:48.474-07:00NEW TOYI have a new camera. Not that there was anything wrong with my compact job, or my phone come to that, but I wanted a really good zoom. &nbsp;I probably bore most folk rigid with all my alpaca pictures, but I know you like alpacas, or you wouldn't be looking at this, so I thought you might like to see a few. I just wish I had had this years ago when I was travelling - perhaps I should go back and do it all over again.<br /><br />Anyway, day two and I'm still learning the basics on the auto mode. &nbsp;I LOVE this thing!!!! Bloomin' raining now though, so my plans for going out to the bluebell woods this afternoon have been foiled, so I'm going to play about with the pics I took this morning and show you some.<br /><br /><i>It's just another excuse not to do housework, food shopping, VAT return, end of year accounts, clearing out Rebecca's bedroom, emptying the loft, weeding the garden ..... you get the picture (sorry)</i><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vgN6EIQv7qE/U1fKMB1zgwI/AAAAAAAACIE/XfQwUJGtkNE/s1600/P1000290.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vgN6EIQv7qE/U1fKMB1zgwI/AAAAAAAACIE/XfQwUJGtkNE/s1600/P1000290.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Andromeda</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aR3EwQkUcaE/U1fKNG1M9HI/AAAAAAAACIQ/KaKNNFpDDW0/s1600/P1000299.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aR3EwQkUcaE/U1fKNG1M9HI/AAAAAAAACIQ/KaKNNFpDDW0/s1600/P1000299.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LKuLEIsJF_o/U1fKM-mmSEI/AAAAAAAACII/3iHT-_7vvDY/s1600/P1000315.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LKuLEIsJF_o/U1fKM-mmSEI/AAAAAAAACII/3iHT-_7vvDY/s1600/P1000315.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BJ2W76ifFMQ/U1fKO3Zi-QI/AAAAAAAACIc/64Hpw8wfSMs/s1600/P1000316.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BJ2W76ifFMQ/U1fKO3Zi-QI/AAAAAAAACIc/64Hpw8wfSMs/s1600/P1000316.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Xw_LXdQgX38/U1fKRjSVduI/AAAAAAAACIs/iDliOjOq01Y/s1600/P1000317.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Xw_LXdQgX38/U1fKRjSVduI/AAAAAAAACIs/iDliOjOq01Y/s1600/P1000317.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jaTVHq9oYPU/U1fKQCI3DHI/AAAAAAAACIk/W5NFnMGzhxM/s1600/P1000350.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jaTVHq9oYPU/U1fKQCI3DHI/AAAAAAAACIk/W5NFnMGzhxM/s1600/P1000350.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Melissa</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IunVQoy_yQE/U1fKTJzCegI/AAAAAAAACI0/qbnIAf4AQGk/s1600/P1000356.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IunVQoy_yQE/U1fKTJzCegI/AAAAAAAACI0/qbnIAf4AQGk/s1600/P1000356.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Selene</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WsNn0d9tWeQ/U1fKUJ9n43I/AAAAAAAACI8/rkcJIHm8alM/s1600/P1000397.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WsNn0d9tWeQ/U1fKUJ9n43I/AAAAAAAACI8/rkcJIHm8alM/s1600/P1000397.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Orchid - of the beautiful eyes</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-y3ayaMHxPus/U1fKUo91LdI/AAAAAAAACJA/pT6CHYFtVSw/s1600/P1000405.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-y3ayaMHxPus/U1fKUo91LdI/AAAAAAAACJA/pT6CHYFtVSw/s1600/P1000405.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aglaia</td></tr></tbody></table><br />And to make a change from alpacas<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-m-UEr46zTKM/U1fKV84_j9I/AAAAAAAACJI/4HqJ4ec4FYo/s1600/P1000431.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-m-UEr46zTKM/U1fKV84_j9I/AAAAAAAACJI/4HqJ4ec4FYo/s1600/P1000431.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QP9Wg-DBDmc/U1fKXEmW-BI/AAAAAAAACJU/eacaPeFLn5E/s1600/P1000438.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QP9Wg-DBDmc/U1fKXEmW-BI/AAAAAAAACJU/eacaPeFLn5E/s1600/P1000438.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div><br />Karen Oglesby - Meon Valley Alpacashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16567054421157398971noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8081581292310779193.post-86548977724637713832014-04-19T07:30:00.002-07:002014-04-19T07:30:17.201-07:00HAPPY EASTER!Happy Easter &nbsp;- chocolate big time in this house!!<br /><br />Busy times lately - lots of visitors, mostly for the alpacas and last weekend we had the Southern Alpaca Group Vet Day here with Peter Aitken - he's just brilliant and as usual everyone learnt lots.<br /><br />More shows are looming up - the Heart of England next week in Warwickshire and then South of England in East Sussex the following weekend, a last minute decision to enter that one, as we didn't have our shearing date until the day of closing, but we can just about fit in the show before they all get their annual disrobing. &nbsp;I love to see them after shearing - they look so elegant and streamlined and they seem to love it too. <br /><br />We delivered a couple more of our pet boys this weekend, they're going to live with a small flock of chickens and ducks within a beautiful old farmyard, a lovely environment for them to live in and I'm sure they'll be very happy in their new home, and should keep those pesky foxes away from their new paddock friends.<br /><br />It won't be long before the next generation of cria arrive, in around 6 weeks or so, it's been such a long wait and I'm getting very excited as many of these will be from our new Snowmass boys as well as from The Sorcerer, and one from our Incan King boy Eros from Cassandra. Poor Eros suffers from sweet itch - just like some horses, he gets very itchy from the midges. I am putting various lotions and potions on him to try and help the situation but nothing really works for any length of time and he rubs all the fleece off his ears and face, which then of course allows more midges in. I read somewhere that Avon Skin So Soft works on humans to keep midges away, so I've sent off for some - will let you know if it works!! He looks a bit of a mess really and I entered him for the next shows, so I might have to leave him behind, which would be a shame as his fleece is beautiful.<br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uxx7feixHVA/U1KGDrsS_sI/AAAAAAAACHs/QsJC06vXZLo/s1600/IMG_6161.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uxx7feixHVA/U1KGDrsS_sI/AAAAAAAACHs/QsJC06vXZLo/s1600/IMG_6161.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The big boys</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Dr04gv6xpw0/U1KGMJ1bsJI/AAAAAAAACH0/T67R1CzYdpY/s1600/IMG_6168.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Dr04gv6xpw0/U1KGMJ1bsJI/AAAAAAAACH0/T67R1CzYdpY/s1600/IMG_6168.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alfie and Jack Black - leaving home</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Karen Oglesby - Meon Valley Alpacashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16567054421157398971noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8081581292310779193.post-52177151343243197492014-03-31T04:28:00.005-07:002014-03-31T07:44:09.424-07:00ALPACA SHOWTIMEAnother great weekend, this time in Cambridgeshire at Alpaca Showtime, hosted by Houghton Hall and jointly organised with The Alpaca Stud and Bozedown. Rebecca and I left on Friday morning in the rain with a very bedraggled show team but by the time we got through all the traffic on our journey the sun had come out and they had blown dry... <br /><br />The venue was the biggest indoor arena I have ever been in with a great looking show ring and the show was very well organised with a good atmosphere.<br /><br />There were some amazing trophies for colour Champions and I was thrilled when The Sorcerer won his class and then went on to win Grey Male Champion, which meant we could have one!!! We went off to get our photo taken - it got pretty heavy after a while! Imagine my excitement then when Bonami also won his class and went on to win Champion Fawn Male and we got another one!! Now I can do weight lifting with them!!! Shame we have to give them back next year!<br /><br />Enigma came first in the Intermediate black females and Macy, Talisman, Dynasty and Bonnie all came 3rd. &nbsp;A new way to close the show was to have a line-up of all the female Champions and then all the Male Champions and then the Supreme was decided between the winner of those two groups. I was pretty chuffed to have two in the male line-up. <br /><br />All in all a very good weekend - lots of fun and we were home by 7.30pm and everyone was back in their fields and we were able to flop in front of the TV to watch the hunky Musketeers! Whilst we were away we have been adopted by a female Turkey - she's rather lovely and laying eggs too. Not sure how long she'll stay with us but she's rather cute.<br /><br />Now I must decide who we're taking to the Heart of England ...<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GD1M4rv47c4/UzlJaQEdT-I/AAAAAAAACHQ/IfYTZ9ZD2Sg/s1600/IMG_6048.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GD1M4rv47c4/UzlJaQEdT-I/AAAAAAAACHQ/IfYTZ9ZD2Sg/s1600/IMG_6048.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rebecca with Enigma</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Bf20_7pWW38/UzlI14taHHI/AAAAAAAACGw/XmpGXoq1ghc/s1600/IMG_6065.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Bf20_7pWW38/UzlI14taHHI/AAAAAAAACGw/XmpGXoq1ghc/s1600/IMG_6065.jpg" height="400" width="392" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bonami with Shaun</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TRLypY47XVk/UzlJWXpJmyI/AAAAAAAACHI/-PwCXavyuuo/s1600/IMG_6082.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TRLypY47XVk/UzlJWXpJmyI/AAAAAAAACHI/-PwCXavyuuo/s1600/IMG_6082.jpg" height="397" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our two Champions Bonami and The Sorcerer waiting to go into Best Males</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oPlDZSSBABo/UzlJDFlCqfI/AAAAAAAACG4/5VopUPvSnB8/s1600/IMG_6085.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oPlDZSSBABo/UzlJDFlCqfI/AAAAAAAACG4/5VopUPvSnB8/s1600/IMG_6085.JPG" height="108" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Best Males Line-up - I was pretty proud to have two out of six in there!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LAIJlT6p6zY/UzlJh3jOkXI/AAAAAAAACHY/PsQFPmd6nkk/s1600/IMG_6099.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LAIJlT6p6zY/UzlJh3jOkXI/AAAAAAAACHY/PsQFPmd6nkk/s1600/IMG_6099.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our haul</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cqArWH_r_04/UzlJIWziEdI/AAAAAAAACHA/Spc7fDNBBU4/s1600/IMG_6094.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cqArWH_r_04/UzlJIWziEdI/AAAAAAAACHA/Spc7fDNBBU4/s1600/IMG_6094.jpg" height="303" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Turkey Lurkey!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><br /><br />Karen Oglesby - Meon Valley Alpacashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16567054421157398971noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8081581292310779193.post-1913921705939559262014-03-01T05:12:00.001-08:002014-03-01T05:12:21.161-08:00FIRST DAY OF SPRINGHurrah ... well that's winter over with then, officially at least, if not literally. March 1st and it's a glorious sunny day after a frosty start - perfect. <br /><br />We brought all the females in today for a weigh in, I always find it quite interesting to see who's gone up or down, or stayed the same. Only one girl, old "Aunty Miel" has lost any significant weight over the winter, she is 16 almost 17 and we don't shear her blanket off so she's been good and cosy, but its just her age I suppose catching up with her, not that she's thin, just no longer fat. &nbsp;The rest have either stayed the same or increased slightly with pregnancy or growth - all good then.<br /><br />This week I have been giving our website a bit of an overhaul, not done it for ages, it's &nbsp;one of those things I put off doing for far too long and then once I start I can't stop fiddling with it! &nbsp;I don't know enough about the works of it all really, why it can look beautifully set up on the local folder, but once uploaded to the remote site it looks completely different ... hours wasted trying to sort that out and still not finished!<br /><br />I have added a new page just for a bit of fun really, thought it was worth sharing. It's basically all about one of our females Bon Bon and her family - tour female 'B' for Bretta line. I started it a couple of years ago, but only this week finished it! <a href="http://www.mvalpacas.co.uk/Featured%20Female.htm">http://www.mvalpacas.co.uk/Featured%20Female.htm</a><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-N0PmIYWDGkE/UxHchyw_xwI/AAAAAAAACGQ/AptucXe5fgw/s1600/BonBon&amp;Baylee2010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-N0PmIYWDGkE/UxHchyw_xwI/AAAAAAAACGQ/AptucXe5fgw/s1600/BonBon&amp;Baylee2010.jpg" height="400" width="262" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">BonBon with her cria Baylee</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Well too nice to stay indoors so I'm off outside again, might get some good pics of some dry alpacas for a change!<br /><br />National Show in two weeks - looking forward getting on the circuit again.Karen Oglesby - Meon Valley Alpacashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16567054421157398971noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8081581292310779193.post-4918179350799758362014-02-08T11:26:00.001-08:002014-02-08T11:26:42.329-08:00THE WETTEST WINTER SINCE 1760 - YOU'RE NOT KIDDING!My last post, back at the very beginning of January, &nbsp;a very wet and windy day.... well it's still wet and windy. There really haven't been many days dry in-between. We're used to wet weather here in the UK, but this is ridiculous! My heart goes out to all those people who have been flooded, there can be nothing much worse than filthy water coming into your home and businesses for weeks on end; the news coverage of the farms under water are just appalling and I hate to think how many animals have been drowned. Thank heavens we're on chalk here and on relatively high ground. The old timers in our village say the valley has never been so flooded - I certainly haven't seen it so bad in the 16 years we've been here, I don't actually remember a winter quite as wet as this one, and there's been a lot! Apparently the wettest since 1760 ... &nbsp;I'm very relieved I don't work with horses any more! Just up the road the village of Hambledon is closed off because of the floods. There's so many trees down too, the whole countryside looks a total mess.&nbsp;<div><br /></div><div>Our large group of females have turned one corner of their 9 acre field to mud as they wait near the gate for their feed twice a day and gather round their hay feeders, thankfully the rest of the farm isn't too bad. We're lucky to have got away with just a bit of damage.</div><div><br /><div>I have decided not to move them into a different field for the time being, on the basis that they're at least eating lots of good quality hay, which is keeping them warm and in good condition, and they're only trashing one field in the process. It also makes taking hay out to them with a wheelbarrow a bit easier for me, being downhill. The other fields are 'resting' ready to receive them in the Spring, if it ever comes! I may well change my mind on that one though.</div></div><div><br /></div><div>The wind outside right now is roaring like a freight train, it's very dark, so I can't see what's going on, but I'm sure there'll be more damage to find in the morning. Blimey sounds like a tornado! More fencing, more trees - hopefully not more of our shelters....</div><div><br /></div><div>The weanlings are now more or less halter trained and are getting used to me picking up their feet whilst being tied up. &nbsp;I've entered 3 of them into the National Show and older ones too, 10 altogether - I hope it's a bit dryer by then, they don't look up to much at the moment!</div><div><br /></div><div>It's gone all quiet outside now - I'm tempted to go and see if everyone's OK out there ...&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-G_kZuX_NR1Y/UvZ-7jYOveI/AAAAAAAACFg/8BtxExsRMwk/s1600/IMG_5484.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-G_kZuX_NR1Y/UvZ-7jYOveI/AAAAAAAACFg/8BtxExsRMwk/s1600/IMG_5484.JPG" height="137" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The river Meon at Droxford - this bits usually the picnic area ...</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--nEA4ZdiI4c/UvZ6pQfZjyI/AAAAAAAACE4/TA9eadhFY28/s1600/IMG_5612.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--nEA4ZdiI4c/UvZ6pQfZjyI/AAAAAAAACE4/TA9eadhFY28/s1600/IMG_5612.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The girls - any more breakfast?</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-j_9WBVFhrLA/UvZ8EcVAYHI/AAAAAAAACFM/Rw4yd_xQH_4/s1600/IMG_5711.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-j_9WBVFhrLA/UvZ8EcVAYHI/AAAAAAAACFM/Rw4yd_xQH_4/s1600/IMG_5711.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So filthy, I can't really tell who is who to be honest!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CVET260gZuY/UvZ8FG_5BaI/AAAAAAAACFU/xzhdShUtlhM/s1600/IMG_5714.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CVET260gZuY/UvZ8FG_5BaI/AAAAAAAACFU/xzhdShUtlhM/s1600/IMG_5714.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A brief glimpse of the sun - Cotton Fields and Enigma studying the cat on the other side of the gate</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FU0Yrf136Zg/UvZ_uEAqSJI/AAAAAAAACFw/bz5VdZLvq4E/s1600/IMG_5729.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FU0Yrf136Zg/UvZ_uEAqSJI/AAAAAAAACFw/bz5VdZLvq4E/s1600/IMG_5729.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stylish topknots girls!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eOmqZ3n3oOo/UvZ_xaGSmrI/AAAAAAAACF4/8pLDgm1wngo/s1600/IMG_5735.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eOmqZ3n3oOo/UvZ_xaGSmrI/AAAAAAAACF4/8pLDgm1wngo/s1600/IMG_5735.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Much more stylish bums - the weanlings on a rare dry morning!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0B2uaac5-1E/UvZ_YCuimxI/AAAAAAAACFo/d35m7KwVZ8Y/s1600/IMG_5743.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0B2uaac5-1E/UvZ_YCuimxI/AAAAAAAACFo/d35m7KwVZ8Y/s1600/IMG_5743.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The weanlings playing King of the Castle - Talisman reigns supreme!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2cKNoqftJ6I/UvaABKsoW3I/AAAAAAAACGA/s9m30y9BbCQ/s1600/IMG_5745.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2cKNoqftJ6I/UvaABKsoW3I/AAAAAAAACGA/s9m30y9BbCQ/s1600/IMG_5745.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another view of our Meon River in flood</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Karen Oglesby - Meon Valley Alpacashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16567054421157398971noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8081581292310779193.post-64631472111826329102014-01-01T04:21:00.000-08:002014-01-01T04:21:09.076-08:00HAPPY NEW YEAR!1st January 2014 - Happy New Year everyone! &nbsp;Outside it's blowing hard with very heavy rain, and I think a day mostly indoors keeping warm and dry is probably the best plan, starting with this post!<br /><br />This morning we waved goodbye to two of our intermediate boys Agent and Touchwood, as they went off to their new home with Liz and Gus who already have some of our older boys. I know they will be well cared for and loved, and they're very nearby, so I often drive past their field and will see them from time to time.<br /><br />We weaned the crias last week, we had a couple of dry and sunny days and they have the big field shelter all to themselves, so they're fine, they actually settled very quickly with only Bossy Boots making a fuss every time I appear. Their mums are all now with the main group of females and we kept them out of sight of the weanlings for a few days and they too soon settled, though are still hanging out together as a group.<br /><br />Not much else is going on so I'll leave you with a few pics from 2013<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kis_oyH1u6Y/UsP9tZq_h7I/AAAAAAAACCg/zmQk5uRp_yk/s1600/IMG_5435.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kis_oyH1u6Y/UsP9tZq_h7I/AAAAAAAACCg/zmQk5uRp_yk/s400/IMG_5435.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Weanlings December 2013</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-P4xfVmD6B4c/UsP-21D6DiI/AAAAAAAACCs/867neZss_Jo/s1600/P1040388.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-P4xfVmD6B4c/UsP-21D6DiI/AAAAAAAACCs/867neZss_Jo/s400/P1040388.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Goldie and Selene Summer</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Nvy-banECnY/UsQDIeGu_TI/AAAAAAAACEc/G2EcblaeNWc/s1600/Bonami+Nationals.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Nvy-banECnY/UsQDIeGu_TI/AAAAAAAACEc/G2EcblaeNWc/s400/Bonami+Nationals.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bonami at the Nationals 1st &amp; Reserve Champion Fawn Male</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hS8kc7FQ9wM/UsP_A2BPp2I/AAAAAAAACC0/bYFWWU09CTY/s1600/P1040443.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hS8kc7FQ9wM/UsP_A2BPp2I/AAAAAAAACC0/bYFWWU09CTY/s400/P1040443.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Enigma and Macy Grey Spring</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-awSiufNb0-A/UsP_5UcPXbI/AAAAAAAACC8/RnVLmuLprdk/s1600/P1040676.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-awSiufNb0-A/UsP_5UcPXbI/AAAAAAAACC8/RnVLmuLprdk/s400/P1040676.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Medusa just loved the camera!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-f54BjpolG0k/UsQAWtGoIXI/AAAAAAAACDE/DBO8t5D4ET4/s1600/P1040765.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-f54BjpolG0k/UsQAWtGoIXI/AAAAAAAACDE/DBO8t5D4ET4/s400/P1040765.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bonaventure a very proud first time mum to Bossy Boots</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-162veuXzcw0/UsQAbn78VXI/AAAAAAAACDM/C4vqCkPRPEk/s1600/IMG_2209.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-162veuXzcw0/UsQAbn78VXI/AAAAAAAACDM/C4vqCkPRPEk/s400/IMG_2209.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Back in January - at least they were dry!</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-koI34raS_g8/UsQHIMLog-I/AAAAAAAACEo/zx7FTngU_4w/s1600/The+Sorcerer+Nationals.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-koI34raS_g8/UsQHIMLog-I/AAAAAAAACEo/zx7FTngU_4w/s400/The+Sorcerer+Nationals.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Sorcerer winning at the Nationals</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yrt7bbvEAuY/UsQBhrCxmlI/AAAAAAAACDc/Lv7ammULa7E/s1600/P1040818.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yrt7bbvEAuY/UsQBhrCxmlI/AAAAAAAACDc/Lv7ammULa7E/s400/P1040818.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Basking in the warm sunshine</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mPPMW6_kIhA/UsQA03qKg3I/AAAAAAAACDU/Rt-9db4iwW8/s1600/P1050087.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="297" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mPPMW6_kIhA/UsQA03qKg3I/AAAAAAAACDU/Rt-9db4iwW8/s400/P1050087.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mid summer evening frolic</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qST94Y_YZog/UsQBkw45ixI/AAAAAAAACDk/nOB5XKczSr4/s1600/IMG_4151.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qST94Y_YZog/UsQBkw45ixI/AAAAAAAACDk/nOB5XKczSr4/s400/IMG_4151.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Champions back home from one of the shows - Enigma, Macy Grey and The Sorcerer</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7YjF-fBimpQ/UsQCPFVNSNI/AAAAAAAACD8/SSPmMnLl5mo/s1600/P1050110.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7YjF-fBimpQ/UsQCPFVNSNI/AAAAAAAACD8/SSPmMnLl5mo/s400/P1050110.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mid Summer greenery</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vLyhZiVlHsE/UsQCKk3cx_I/AAAAAAAACD0/4PEtfb9sshw/s1600/IMG_4574.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="268" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vLyhZiVlHsE/UsQCKk3cx_I/AAAAAAAACD0/4PEtfb9sshw/s400/IMG_4574.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our intermediate boys - Agent and Touchwood the fawns in the middle</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_Eh225QWDE8/UsQB96qWuiI/AAAAAAAACDs/3wHmkctHcYs/s1600/IMG_5011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="125" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_Eh225QWDE8/UsQB96qWuiI/AAAAAAAACDs/3wHmkctHcYs/s400/IMG_5011.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Group of females</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-O3cHCclA7Jk/UsQCcb8A3LI/AAAAAAAACEM/6ueXNRv1O5M/s1600/IMG_5236.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-O3cHCclA7Jk/UsQCcb8A3LI/AAAAAAAACEM/6ueXNRv1O5M/s400/IMG_5236.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ready to go to the Show</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-F6GveKBB93U/UsQCWMLl0mI/AAAAAAAACEE/hdj_WvBRXq8/s1600/Eros+-+Nationals+2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-F6GveKBB93U/UsQCWMLl0mI/AAAAAAAACEE/hdj_WvBRXq8/s400/Eros+-+Nationals+2013.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eros at the Nationals 1st&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Iy4BTyJJMZ4/UsQDAAGqSHI/AAAAAAAACEU/jUqG-gf23Xo/s1600/IMG_2547.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Iy4BTyJJMZ4/UsQDAAGqSHI/AAAAAAAACEU/jUqG-gf23Xo/s400/IMG_2547.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Weanlings Feb 2013</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Karen Oglesby - Meon Valley Alpacashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16567054421157398971noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8081581292310779193.post-73881338461992701252013-12-26T06:27:00.000-08:002013-12-26T06:27:07.242-08:00MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONEGood Boxing Day morning ... the sun is peaking through the fog and I've come in for a coffee and a warm up before taking the dogs for a walk through the valley. We have our walk challenge over the Xmas holidays - a different walk every day - &nbsp;but we can't go anywhere in the car at the moment as it's got a flat tyre. &nbsp;Peter is outside changing the wheel for me, or was but actually he just asked me to raise it to the off-road height to get the wheel out from underneath, which means starting the engine, it seems it has a flat battery as well!<br /><br />It's been an eventful few days, thanks to the forces of nature. We were hit extremely hard by the storm on Monday night. It was pretty ferocious by the middle of the afternoon and half of our field shelter roof was blown clean off and dropped onto the other side of the remaining roof. &nbsp;The mums and crias were still occupying the space that had been under it - seemingly oblivious! &nbsp;We rushed out to make sure that no-one was injured, all were safe, thank heavens.<br /><br />Struggling to walk against the wind and blasted with spiky torrential rain, we tried to tow the displaced roof off the corner of the remaining one with the tractor, but to no avail, it was just too heavy and dangerous to continue. We hoped that the building wouldn't collapse onto my little Boris the Morris who is also housed in one end and directly under the wreck. I decided to move the mums and crias into the next field where they would have the shelter from our neighbours large house and huge conifer trees and so I wouldn't have to worry about them getting trapped if the building fell down.<br /><br />We were expecting our friends Ken and Liz from Artwork Alpacas to come over for dinner, but I put them off til the next day, not wanting them out and about in the storm. The winds and rain continued to worsen during the night, there were times in the night I thought we might lose our own roof. The power went off at about 11.30pm and &nbsp;it was very dark all round - just the odd flash which may have been lighting or power cable clashing.<br /><br />At first light we looked out fearing what we might see - a very different view - half those huge conifers were down! &nbsp;A quick head count from the bedroom window and all were accounted for and seemed fine. The shelter roof had moved again, folded onto itself, like a sandwich. After feeding and haying up we walked all the boundaries, lots of debris and another tree down in the woods, I think we were fairly lucky not to have more damage.<br /><br />Our power stayed off for over 26 hours, apart from our log burner which also gives us hot water, we are all electric. Ken and Liz weren't coming for dinner that night either and offered to have us over for lunch on Christmas day as they had a generator! &nbsp;We ate fish and chips and played cards by candlelight and listened to the local Radio - apparently there was free food and drink for those with no power - you could find out where to go by going on-line and venues would be listed on their website!!!!!!!!!<br /><br />Christmas morning, &nbsp;and we had power again - hurrah! However, Ken and Liz insisted that we still go for lunch and we had a lovely time.<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DG0wz8iGTSs/UrwTPKwd_CI/AAAAAAAACAg/j0dO0UGVWag/s1600/IMG_5394.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DG0wz8iGTSs/UrwTPKwd_CI/AAAAAAAACAg/j0dO0UGVWag/s1600/IMG_5394.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ELspjxSEJQI/UrwTsYLLPRI/AAAAAAAACAw/-qrW9VD1ZIE/s1600/IMG_5396.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ELspjxSEJQI/UrwTsYLLPRI/AAAAAAAACAw/-qrW9VD1ZIE/s1600/IMG_5396.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sxHZf1BXino/UrwTw_Plo2I/AAAAAAAACA4/QpoWOKIUCwA/s1600/IMG_5400.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sxHZf1BXino/UrwTw_Plo2I/AAAAAAAACA4/QpoWOKIUCwA/s1600/IMG_5400.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TpjTZj_-KvY/UrwT1wjJxwI/AAAAAAAACBA/5SmWmHUafLo/s1600/IMG_5401.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TpjTZj_-KvY/UrwT1wjJxwI/AAAAAAAACBA/5SmWmHUafLo/s1600/IMG_5401.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HSQwxsjj9Vk/UrwUrwTGwSI/AAAAAAAACBQ/R7U2fqERwOs/s1600/IMG_5406.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HSQwxsjj9Vk/UrwUrwTGwSI/AAAAAAAACBQ/R7U2fqERwOs/s1600/IMG_5406.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waiting for breakfast</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KXkizOJ1jWQ/UrwUaXSXMCI/AAAAAAAACBI/SQcIDfPvh9I/s1600/IMG_5407.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KXkizOJ1jWQ/UrwUaXSXMCI/AAAAAAAACBI/SQcIDfPvh9I/s1600/IMG_5407.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A chilly start this morning ...</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MGc2eZVuEdU/UrwVDEtoIgI/AAAAAAAACBg/BM4AbFcYDBg/s1600/IMG_5408.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MGc2eZVuEdU/UrwVDEtoIgI/AAAAAAAACBg/BM4AbFcYDBg/s1600/IMG_5408.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here comes the sun</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QVvLAJhwvRI/Urw3w5a4IfI/AAAAAAAACCM/loIVUI9SoO0/s1600/IMG_5412.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QVvLAJhwvRI/Urw3w5a4IfI/AAAAAAAACCM/loIVUI9SoO0/s1600/IMG_5412.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marmalade inspecting the girls breakfast</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br /><br />Karen Oglesby - Meon Valley Alpacashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16567054421157398971noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8081581292310779193.post-58137476431744791762013-11-10T08:58:00.000-08:002013-11-11T01:47:33.378-08:00PHOTO SHOOTAlpacas are beautiful and a bit quirky, that's what we all love about them. &nbsp;When you add a stunning model, a professional photographer with a unique style, stylists, hair and make-up artists they help make the most striking pictures.<br /><div><br /></div><div>Yesterday we played host to a fashion shoot by Emy Lou&nbsp;and whilst I can't share her pictures with you just yet, &nbsp;I can show you some behind-the-scenes shots which I took with my phone. Emy, her model Valentina and team arrived around 9am, by which time the clear and frosty morning was rapidly deteriorating, with menacing, deep grey skies heralding the forecasted heavy showers for the day. Emy and her team settled themselves into the den for the day, which within a very short time resembled Rebecca's bedroom - well not that bad, but almost as much make-up!</div><div><br /></div><div>I left them to it for a while and fed and moved animals about with Lucy. &nbsp;Those clouds then dumped torrential rain, thoroughly soaking the already wet alpacas and adding that good old British chill to a dismal November day. There were however, brief glimpses of the sun, and the rain eventually moved along, allowing everyone to get on with the shoot.&nbsp;</div><div><br />Rebecca and I herded animals about so that they stayed in the background, sometimes handing a soggy alpaca to the very scantily dressed Valentina, who I don't think had even seen one before, but who remained very chilled, or it could be that she was just frozen to the spot! We held a branch here and there and generally got in the way I suspect. It all took hours as the poor girl had to be thawed out between dresses. I did feel sorry for her, maybe modelling isn't all that glamorous after all! I think it was a pretty unique experience for everyone, we really enjoyed the day, &nbsp;and I can't wait to see the finished pictures and video. &nbsp;Emy Lou's&nbsp;<a href="http://www.emylouphotography.co.uk/" target="_blank">website</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;Model&nbsp;<a href="http://www.firstmodelmanagement.co.uk/instinct/valentina/index/" target="_blank">Valentina&nbsp;</a><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iQhEmGdcpRA/Un-3jyJxVRI/AAAAAAAAB_0/ZpNXo37HtH0/s1600/image.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iQhEmGdcpRA/Un-3jyJxVRI/AAAAAAAAB_0/ZpNXo37HtH0/s400/image.jpeg" width="225" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Strike a pose?</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zRqJb7nOUGE/Un-5wz0G1UI/AAAAAAAACAQ/pLqeS1M7ZWE/s1600/image.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zRqJb7nOUGE/Un-5wz0G1UI/AAAAAAAACAQ/pLqeS1M7ZWE/s400/image.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not the best 'get-up' for handling alpacas!</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-743bbNvH2LQ/Un-2njVqhYI/AAAAAAAAB_c/61XGDoki600/s1600/IMG_5162.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-743bbNvH2LQ/Un-2njVqhYI/AAAAAAAAB_c/61XGDoki600/s400/IMG_5162.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rebecca gets in on the action!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-23XrbUoSKao/Un-2YfYvkzI/AAAAAAAAB_U/moWPXJdCg_c/s1600/IMG_5165.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-23XrbUoSKao/Un-2YfYvkzI/AAAAAAAAB_U/moWPXJdCg_c/s400/IMG_5165.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The dressing gown coming off between shots ... brrrr</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nqqmnm9IgJk/Un-1poJf4mI/AAAAAAAAB_E/rt9-NP0z9bo/s1600/IMG_5168.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nqqmnm9IgJk/Un-1poJf4mI/AAAAAAAAB_E/rt9-NP0z9bo/s400/IMG_5168.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alpacas only slightly interested now - this kind of thing is always going on in our field!!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZPUQnPGvjAY/Un-2SDiVKDI/AAAAAAAAB_M/R_MmrW0DFOg/s1600/IMG_5175.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZPUQnPGvjAY/Un-2SDiVKDI/AAAAAAAAB_M/R_MmrW0DFOg/s400/IMG_5175.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brie and Cotton Fields - posing</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yJKwMpcOuXo/Un-3DNNtekI/AAAAAAAAB_k/PNsGoqRm_40/s1600/IMG_5179.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yJKwMpcOuXo/Un-3DNNtekI/AAAAAAAAB_k/PNsGoqRm_40/s400/IMG_5179.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cast iron - makes for a very cold bum!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3zJQBrFzt1k/Un-3f6oYUEI/AAAAAAAAB_s/BGHE9IXVboM/s1600/IMG_5184.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3zJQBrFzt1k/Un-3f6oYUEI/AAAAAAAAB_s/BGHE9IXVboM/s400/IMG_5184.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That's cosier!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-f9z0ArhQD8s/Un-33szh5fI/AAAAAAAACAE/Vyy6OeqRELY/s1600/IMG_5198.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-f9z0ArhQD8s/Un-33szh5fI/AAAAAAAACAE/Vyy6OeqRELY/s400/IMG_5198.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Would quite like to eat that hay you're sat on!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><br /></div>Karen Oglesby - Meon Valley Alpacashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16567054421157398971noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8081581292310779193.post-42979109136854176132013-10-27T06:22:00.000-07:002013-10-27T06:22:40.541-07:00THE BIG STORM<span style="font-family: inherit;">The warnings have gone out, the South of England, that's us, are to be&nbsp;battered by hurricane force winds and heavy rain starting this evening and into Monday&nbsp;… I know they have to err on the side of caution, but is it really going to be all that bad? Lovely here at the moment. Michael Fish has advised we batten down the hatches this time! &nbsp;</span><br /><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">I have been thinking about that storm, 25 October 1987, and how it affected my little life back then, I realise sharing this with you gives away just how&nbsp;ancient I am, certainly makes me feel it when I count up the years! However, it was really pretty dramatic at the time.&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">I lived in a cute, but rather damp little flat above some old stables, on a private estate, where I worked as the stables manager. My employers, who lived in the big house, just a bit further up the drive,&nbsp;were away at the time.&nbsp;</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">I don't remember much about the day, but certainly the evening was fairly wild, wet and windy. I had lit my little wood burner and was watching telly with my beloved dog Brindle on the sofa next to me, aware that there was a bit of a hooley going on outside. I had gone to bed, but couldn't sleep as the wind was making such a racket, there were large trees within feet of the back and side of my bedroom.&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">In the early hours the burglar alarm went off at the big house, &nbsp;I threw on a coat over my PJs and went outside, where I met the housekeeper, who lived in the flat next to mine, and together we fought against the elements to the house, to meet the police, who were apparently on their way to re-set the alarm or deal with intruders or&nbsp;</span>something,<span style="font-family: inherit;">&nbsp;no self-respecting bugler would be out in that weather would they? &nbsp;We could hardly stay on our feet, and we had to shout at&nbsp;each other over the terrific roar of the wind. The power went off, and with it the&nbsp;</span>alarm<span style="font-family: inherit;">&nbsp;and having waited for what seemed like ages we abandoned the big house to return to the safety of our beds - the&nbsp;</span>police<span style="font-family: inherit;">&nbsp;never showed up.</span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">As light dawned it was clear that this had been no ordinary storm - no way was my trusty Fiat Panda &nbsp;(stop-it) going to leap over all those fallen trees in the drive, so Brindle and I set off on our expedition the mile or so d</span>own<span style="font-family: inherit;">&nbsp;the hill to the yard - took a very long time, there were so many trees to clamber over. Thankfully, all the horses were safe and sound, as were the buildings. &nbsp;No power of course, or phones - just my little battery radio, giving out regular updates of damage and lives lost as a result of hurricane storm winds over the South of England.</span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">For three weeks I had no power, which meant no hot water or cooker either, thankfully I had a little pan in which I cooked&nbsp;</span>bacon<span style="font-family: inherit;">&nbsp;and stuff on top of my little wood burner, no shortage of firewood of course. I scrounged hot baths from various friends, many kindly fed me too, bless them.&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">My lasting impressions of that great storm was the terrific roar of the wind, and it's awesome power. Once out and about, especially on the horses, the sight of all those beautiful trees, flattened&nbsp;</span>like<span style="font-family: inherit;">&nbsp;matchsticks for miles around the hangers of Selbourne, and the top of Noah Hill looking like a bald head.</span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">I do hope they've got it wrong this time .. &nbsp;we'll tie down a few things today, &nbsp;put away some garden furniture and pot plants, and I might move Boris the Morris (car) to a safer place than his current abode in part of the field shelter. &nbsp;I may&nbsp;</span>decide to<span style="font-family: inherit;">&nbsp;keep the mums and crias in, I think the other pacas will be OK - they will probably huddle together in the middle of the field, &nbsp;we have trees everywhere, but when ever we've had gales before they seem to stay away from the trees.</span><br /><br />Anyway, good luck where you are ... &nbsp;keep safe and stay off the roads as much as possible, and lets hope its all a storm in a teacup!</div>Karen Oglesby - Meon Valley Alpacashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16567054421157398971noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8081581292310779193.post-61076644270538931482013-10-22T11:29:00.000-07:002013-10-22T11:29:10.070-07:00SNAPPY-HAPPY<br />The sun came out briefly this afternoon, which improved my mood considerably .. I won't bore you with the details, but lets just say I had a difference of opinion with a car salesman, IGNORANT PIG, which left me VERY ANGRY... sorry, I'm over it now, and have my car back .... at last, after 11 days.<br /><br />Anyway, sun out and trees looked stunning, so I took the camera out for a bit of paca-therapy - always works. They always look so beautiful against the autumn colours, don't they.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4-X4pu9xWXg/UmbBL_rDF6I/AAAAAAAAB-E/jLZPlaUuNPE/s1600/P1050298.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4-X4pu9xWXg/UmbBL_rDF6I/AAAAAAAAB-E/jLZPlaUuNPE/s400/P1050298.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HuxPFoqx3IU/UmbBce4tB_I/AAAAAAAAB-M/zh3tq1RddOU/s1600/P1050225.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HuxPFoqx3IU/UmbBce4tB_I/AAAAAAAAB-M/zh3tq1RddOU/s400/P1050225.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lhpQ8tSXWtQ/UmbBloonVRI/AAAAAAAAB-U/Q9n8mMpGZC4/s1600/P1050275.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lhpQ8tSXWtQ/UmbBloonVRI/AAAAAAAAB-U/Q9n8mMpGZC4/s400/P1050275.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sifzbib3r4k/UmbCRuiIamI/AAAAAAAAB-c/w4_fv0ZvirU/s1600/P1050294.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sifzbib3r4k/UmbCRuiIamI/AAAAAAAAB-c/w4_fv0ZvirU/s400/P1050294.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Y3lnqMUqj_E/UmbCaruavYI/AAAAAAAAB-k/1isvaHMQ-5Q/s1600/P1050235.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Y3lnqMUqj_E/UmbCaruavYI/AAAAAAAAB-k/1isvaHMQ-5Q/s400/P1050235.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rpLNd_mkk3I/UmbCvTL8pxI/AAAAAAAAB-s/ECc9Gs7l2DA/s1600/P1050295.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="220" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rpLNd_mkk3I/UmbCvTL8pxI/AAAAAAAAB-s/ECc9Gs7l2DA/s400/P1050295.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">OK I promise not to shout anymore ... &nbsp;oooh - lots of lightning going on outside now, so guess we may get a power cut, which is normal for us in a thunder storm - must go and find some candles just in case. TTFN</div><br />Karen Oglesby - Meon Valley Alpacashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16567054421157398971noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8081581292310779193.post-41422292733167926692013-10-20T10:23:00.001-07:002013-10-20T10:23:16.361-07:00I HAVE BEEN DOING STUFF, HONEST - just not blogging! It's so mild for the middle of October, not that I'm complaining, we have masses of grass and it'll save on our Autumn feed and hay bill, they're all in very good condition! Only one problem with having so much grass is that most of the time it's too wet to poo pick, Peter, however doesn't view it as a problem is enjoying the break from his job! The crias are growing out really well - they're full of beans and I spent a happy 10 minutes or so, as the sun was going down, watching them all have a funny five minutes racing around the front field. The girls were definitely in the lead by the way, led most of the time by Flopsie and Bossy Boots.<br /><br />We had some of our mated females scanned the other day, mostly the maidens, there were quite a few we didn't scan, we know them so well we can trust their spit-offs. It appears we have 20 pregnant females, a couple less than I thought, confused maidens who were running away at spit-off time, late developers maybe, anyway, 20's plenty to be going on with. Now I just have to wait til mid summer to see what we get.<br /><br />Earlier this week the weather was just perfect and I was helping my friend Donna on her vineyard, which is on the hill just behind us. The view from their land is stunning, they're quite a bit higher than us and can see right over the Meon Valley and to the hills beyond. &nbsp;I'd never picked grapes before, I found it really therapeutic, I had to try the odd one or two of course, they were surprisingly sweet, but with tough skins. &nbsp;I'm looking forward to tasting the finished product in a few years time when it's been turned into Poppy Down Champagne. The bunches of grapes were so beautiful hanging there in the sunshine - I just had to take pictures of them.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gjEyhURdbhQ/UmO3n1_3NWI/AAAAAAAAB9M/Je0YnQavzU0/s1600/IMG_4953.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gjEyhURdbhQ/UmO3n1_3NWI/AAAAAAAAB9M/Je0YnQavzU0/s400/IMG_4953.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KrnYVGORxUo/UmO4NTHG2tI/AAAAAAAAB9U/wq0Oo51FWQI/s1600/IMG_4936.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KrnYVGORxUo/UmO4NTHG2tI/AAAAAAAAB9U/wq0Oo51FWQI/s400/IMG_4936.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span id="goog_1924915570"></span><span id="goog_1924915571"></span><br /></div><br />Yesterday we hosted another training day for the Southern Alpaca Group, entitled 'Get it out of the Barn', which was given by Jean Field, all very inspiring and she brought along lots of samples of fabulous yarn and knitted products. Everyone seemed to enjoy the day and all learnt a lot and hopefully will now do something with their fleeces. Jean used one of our fleeces to demonstrate the importance of 'skirting' &nbsp;before sending it away for processing. &nbsp;I normally spend a few minutes on each one as it comes off at shearing time, doing just that, but this fleece was one that I hadn't done, thanks to one of our females, Calico, having a torsion and taking me away from my usual job right in the middle of shearing ... bless her, she was Ok and so was her cria by the way. The fleece certainly needed skirting and there must be a few more that I need to check before I send them off to UK Alpaca. Then our own fleece barn (stable) will be empty again, apart from just a few really pretty grey and appaloosa fleeces, which I would love to get spun, or even spin myself if I can remember how to do it and find the time! Even all our 'rubbish' legs and bellies, have gone off to Penrose Products to make duvets, one of which we now sleep under, and lovely it is too.<br /><br />What else have I been doing ... oh yes painting, the kitchen, and the dog room, makes the rest of the house look a bit dull, but at least I've made a start. I'm on a bit of a clear out mission too, though it's more like mission impossible, why do we have so much stuff?<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-v5Tj0Xqf8Y0/UmPO8xgyyaI/AAAAAAAAB90/hmUQ-msv0vE/s1600/IMG_4980.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-v5Tj0Xqf8Y0/UmPO8xgyyaI/AAAAAAAAB90/hmUQ-msv0vE/s400/IMG_4980.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Soggy bums this morning</td></tr></tbody></table>My planned, first time for ages, Sunday morning lay-in was scuppered far too early this morning by torrential rain and thunder ... &nbsp;I like thunderstorms actually, but couldn't it have waited til at least 7am? As the rain pelted down in, what sounded like hose pipe proportions, I realised I had left the window open and got up to close it - a flash of lightening revealing all the pacas sat in a huddle in the middle of the field - I knew they wouldn't be cold though - each wearing their own alpaca duvet, and I snuggled back under mine! We've had a dry hour or two this morning so I did the rounds, and fed everyone, and then walked the dogs in the dry. Now its pouring with rain again, and windy, but still very mild. All the pacas are absolutely soaked, a shame as I have a couple coming on a beginners course this afternoon - soggy pacas don't leave the same impression as lovely dry fluffy ones do they! May have to be a slightly longer session in the classroom, with frequent tea and biscuit breaks! I hope they remember their waterproofs!<br /><br />Oh, and one last item - our electricity poles have been replaced - we scrounged the old ones for gate posts and a shelter I'm planning to put up, and the boys just had to supervise!<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7QusRapJjf4/UmO9wVrcjEI/AAAAAAAAB9k/cDVydpujKlo/s1600/P1050212.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7QusRapJjf4/UmO9wVrcjEI/AAAAAAAAB9k/cDVydpujKlo/s400/P1050212.JPG" width="400" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SyoWKlJ6b-o/UmO9dWwH3SI/AAAAAAAAB9c/W8hSE15DHmk/s1600/P1050213.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SyoWKlJ6b-o/UmO9dWwH3SI/AAAAAAAAB9c/W8hSE15DHmk/s400/P1050213.JPG" width="400" /></a>Karen Oglesby - Meon Valley Alpacashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16567054421157398971noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8081581292310779193.post-3927995092026461602013-10-08T13:42:00.003-07:002013-10-08T13:42:56.727-07:00A QUIET FIVE MINUTES ...Group of pacas, a dog and five minutes ....<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W6zXyhUqr78/UlRrGhDBe3I/AAAAAAAAB7o/Yf7XzaEV7MQ/s1600/IMG_4888.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="157" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W6zXyhUqr78/UlRrGhDBe3I/AAAAAAAAB7o/Yf7XzaEV7MQ/s400/IMG_4888.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PbEFYxVoj6M/UlRrOTDEPyI/AAAAAAAAB7w/Q1XXJmVizdU/s1600/IMG_4895.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="162" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PbEFYxVoj6M/UlRrOTDEPyI/AAAAAAAAB7w/Q1XXJmVizdU/s400/IMG_4895.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Sa_PGK0rK7Q/UlRrdA7GmYI/AAAAAAAAB8A/n9gFM6BkpiY/s1600/IMG_4897.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="155" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Sa_PGK0rK7Q/UlRrdA7GmYI/AAAAAAAAB8A/n9gFM6BkpiY/s400/IMG_4897.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KCCAIlz7o_U/UlRrnStNivI/AAAAAAAAB8Q/syp07cIVbqU/s1600/IMG_4898.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="177" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KCCAIlz7o_U/UlRrnStNivI/AAAAAAAAB8Q/syp07cIVbqU/s400/IMG_4898.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IU_45yna8BY/UlRr_lQrMfI/AAAAAAAAB8g/U4f8WJ9VY-c/s1600/IMG_4902.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="166" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IU_45yna8BY/UlRr_lQrMfI/AAAAAAAAB8g/U4f8WJ9VY-c/s400/IMG_4902.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gxRuZqSgDEc/UlRsAJqVdoI/AAAAAAAAB8k/ap6n6Ok8vXQ/s1600/IMG_4903.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="157" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gxRuZqSgDEc/UlRsAJqVdoI/AAAAAAAAB8k/ap6n6Ok8vXQ/s400/IMG_4903.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CO5aytbtCbE/UlRsQPPg54I/AAAAAAAAB84/GRiPzQ7pZVM/s1600/IMG_4906.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="198" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CO5aytbtCbE/UlRsQPPg54I/AAAAAAAAB84/GRiPzQ7pZVM/s400/IMG_4906.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-a3kKR-G3Vxk/UlRsOFP44OI/AAAAAAAAB8w/26EVAySEgGQ/s1600/IMG_4907.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="162" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-a3kKR-G3Vxk/UlRsOFP44OI/AAAAAAAAB8w/26EVAySEgGQ/s400/IMG_4907.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />Karen Oglesby - Meon Valley Alpacashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16567054421157398971noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8081581292310779193.post-62559555931361411832013-09-22T11:04:00.000-07:002013-09-22T11:04:44.069-07:00AUTUMN JABS AND TRAINING DAYSThe whole herd have had their toenails trimmed and their Autumn wormer, and the crias have had their first dose of AD&amp;E as now that the days are getting shorter, they need their liquid sunshine to prevent the possible onset of rickets. Next job is to book a visit from our scanner chap to confirm our pregnancies, I think from spit-offs we have around 25, but I like to be certain, a couple of the maidens don't seem to know what to do when approached by the big boys, I'm hoping they've all taken and when I know for sure I will be putting some on our sales list, reluctantly I hasten to add, but sadly I can't keep them all.<br /><br />We're hosting a couple of Southern Alpaca Group (SAG) training days this month. &nbsp;Vet Day on Saturday 5th October with Camelid Specialist Peter Aitken, who will talk us through parasites and skin problems, crias and nutrition and probably much more, it'll be a great chance for learning and for asking all those questions. Then on Saturday 19th October will be a &nbsp;Fibre Day with Jean Field - everything you need to know on what to do with your fleeces from shearing to processing and how and where to market your products, and a chance to have a go at spinning and weaving. &nbsp;We have places on both these days available, you don't have to be a Member of SAG, so if you'd like to come along then we'd be pleased to see you - give me call or drop me an email info@mvalpacas.co.uk<br /><div><br />We had a few visitors today - an Alpaca Experience morning for Flora and her friends as her birthday treat, they all had a great time learning about the alpacas, getting involved in some husbandry tasks and leading Bond and Baylee through an agility course. This afternoon a lovely family came over who are thinking of getting some alpacas as field pets. (I rather suspect they might and here are some pics of the boys to tempt them further - how can they resist?!)<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dblky06A2kc/Uj8uthJilEI/AAAAAAAAB7A/oVr-eRE7Tco/s1600/IMG_4573.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dblky06A2kc/Uj8uthJilEI/AAAAAAAAB7A/oVr-eRE7Tco/s400/IMG_4573.jpg" width="306" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Touchwood - "Pick Me"!!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PJPcoGWTZOQ/Uj8u83dzFyI/AAAAAAAAB7Y/-zAHuDpC_f4/s1600/IMG_4574.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="268" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PJPcoGWTZOQ/Uj8u83dzFyI/AAAAAAAAB7Y/-zAHuDpC_f4/s400/IMG_4574.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And my friends!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zFFdIXyU7XU/Uj8u4SBdwrI/AAAAAAAAB7Q/rAWU_W_eU_c/s1600/IMG_4576.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zFFdIXyU7XU/Uj8u4SBdwrI/AAAAAAAAB7Q/rAWU_W_eU_c/s400/IMG_4576.jpg" width="317" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jack Black &amp; Touchwood</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-d72cDjRFFSQ/Uj8u21BIjwI/AAAAAAAAB7I/Xh3sUy4cMts/s1600/IMG_4577.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-d72cDjRFFSQ/Uj8u21BIjwI/AAAAAAAAB7I/Xh3sUy4cMts/s400/IMG_4577.jpg" width="202" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Agent</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div>Karen Oglesby - Meon Valley Alpacashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16567054421157398971noreply@blogger.com1